Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

If you enjoy 80s pop culture, virtual reality, and elaborate puzzles then Ready Player One is the book for you. Oasis is a virtual reality where everyone goes. The entire country has shifted its existence into this online sphere. It is where people go to school, to work, to relax, to shop, and to play. It has something for everyone, but it especially has something for anyone who is willing to bone up on their 80s pop culture. The inventor of Oasis, James Haillday, was obsessed with the 80s; he lived through them and thoroughly enjoyed it. So he created a game for anyone who felt like playing. He hid Easter eggs, secret bonus levels, features, or prizes in video games, throughout the environment for a massive competition. Anyone can play, all it takes is someone willing to be as obsessed with the 80s as he was. Wade Watts is one such person.

Wade Watts is a disenfranchised young man. He lives in the stacks, a veritable tree house of trailer parks. His mom does not care about him, he has very few friends and they are only online. All he has is Oasis and his quest for the “holy grail”. His quest begins five years after the release of James Halliday’s will. The will stated that whomever solves his clues, wins the game, and inherits the company that owns Oasis, and naturally a significant amount of money. However, after the initial announcement and months with no results, the furor over the contest dies down and only the true die-hards, like Wade, keep up the search. It is here that the story begins.

It is an excellent tale of adventure, treasure-hunting, and 80s trivia. In 2018, a film adaptation is set to be released, directed by Stephen Spielberg, so it is sure to be a delight. And if you can, the audiobook is read by Wil Wheaton, makes the book even better.